Summer plans may not include a trip to Italy.  But with quick and easy dishes like this one, you can bring the taste of Italy to your kitchen with very little effort.

The motto of this dish is fast and fresh!  It's best when you can get ripe, sweet tomatoes.  And everything cooks up very quickly in this meal.  Boiling the pasta water might be the most time-consuming part.  Because it all cooks so quickly, it helps if you can prep the ingredients beforehand and have them all laid out, ready to go.

The shrimp will be cooked just as the tomatoes are starting to burst.  Ah, I love it when timing works out like that.  How convenient!  If you don't have a pan large enough to hold all the shrimp and tomatoes, cook in two batches.

I opted to serve the shrimp & tomatoes over capellini pasta, which is similar to angel hair.  The delicate texture of the pasta goes well with light sauces, and cooks up in no time.  Perfect for a busy weeknight, and also elegant enough to serve to company.

I like the look and texture of slightly softened whole cherry tomatoes in this dish, but you could also use Fresh Bruschetta Sauce, a refrigerated mixture of tomatoes, garlic, and basil.  I might try scallops next time too.  Mangia!

Summery Shrimp Capellini Recipe

1 lb uncooked shrimp, thawed if frozen
1 lb cherry, grape, or sugar plum tomatoes
8 oz (half pkg) capellini or angel hair pasta
1/3 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed, or 4 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese or Romano/Parmesan blend

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.  It cooks quickly!  Drain and place on serving platter.  Sprinkle liberally with Parmesan cheese.
2. Heat olive oil in a very large skillet or pan over medium-high heat.  Add garlic, red pepper, salt, shrimp, and tomatoes.  Cook for 2-3 minutes until shrimp is opaque and cooked through.  You may need to cook in 2 batches if your pan isn't large enough to accommodate the entire recipe.
3. Add basil to shrimp and toss quickly.  Remove from heat and pour over pasta.  Serve with additional Parmesan if desired.

Cooking and prep time: 15 minutes
Serves 4